Thursdays Are For Knit Group

This time of year means lots of food.  Today, the knitters began their knitting with lunch at a local cafe.  After all, what 's the season for if not for eating?

Direct from the cafe, we headed to the library to the other thing we love best - knitting.

Sandy B arrived home from Florida for Christmas break  in time to head to the library for knit group.  Perfect timing Sandy.  She had with her lots of Florida knitting for  'show & tell'.

First up was her lace project.  The yarn cost her a fortune.  She took a very expensive lace-knitting class. She had to lock herself in a room listening to only classical music in order to concentrate on the work.  But it is done!  Only problem is, Sandy B doesn't like the end result.

Doesn't her posture say it all?  Square look, or pointy look?

 Which shall it be, Sandy?

 Carol tried to show her that it would look lovely over black.

 Nicki showed her that grey would work too.

 She is still not convinced but promised to re-block it and wear it once.  Over something black and as Carol pointed out, not freshly wrinkled from a 24 hour drive. 

Then there was her other poncho. 

This one knit with Noro and the pattern from the Noro Accessories book.  Sandy favours this one.

Doreen knit a cowl. 

A honkin' big cowl.  Can't say I have ever seen on this big, Doreen.  She doesn't like her piece either.

Wilma spent her time ripping back the lace tam she is knitting. 

Lace isn't the most-love type of  knitting here in Meaford, it would appear.

Seasonal time pressures seem to disappear when we get to knit group.   For the afternoon, we forget the rushing and the job list and just relax with our needles.  what could bet better?

Thursdays Are For Knit Group

Word must be spreading about the fun we have on Thursday afternoons in the upper room of the Meaford library because today there were so many knitters we needed two rows of chairs around the table.  Just like in Church, some knitters  headed for the back pew row of chairs.

Sharon, wearing her Shalom,  finished her Noro Mistake Rib scarf.  The colours are glorious - especially great against her new, red coat  -  

 which you will just have to imagine as I didn't capture the coat in the photo.

Nicki again is up to her teaching tricks.  Here she shows 'newby' Pat how to drop spindle spin.

Gail has one Christmas gift finished and stroked off her to-knit list.  This pair of socks, displayed so nicely against Carol's bright red coat.   

Honkin' big socks I said. 

Doreen arrived wearing her latest scarf.  The scarf colours look great with the coat.

 "Yes, that's why I bought this yarn" said Doreen.  Of course.

Newby Pat showed off her ear-warmers, knit with a front-peak opening  to accommodate a baseball cap.

 Ingenious, n'est-ce pas?

Nell is most definitely our crochet queen.  I have wrapped her in one of her colourful lap rugs and she is working on another. 

The latest one looks like the American Flag I thought.

A nice picture of Nicki with her cabled hat - especially for her Mom in B.C.  Merry Christmas Vera 

A few weeks ago at Knit  Group, Gloria gave away some no-longer-loved yarn.  Sharon took home a bag of 'rail-road' yarn and brought it back today - all knit up into a beautiful scarf for Gloria. 

 That's Christmas spirit, knitter style, I'd say.

Carol's daughter is the lucky girl who will get this hand knit tunic.  Perfect topper for leotards.

 If that is for December 25th, Carol, there won't be much sleep at your house.

Lots of fun, laughter and chatter today.  Oh - and knitting too.

Thursdays Are For Knit Group

Is it the yarn, or the knitters  that  can brighten a dull, fall day?   Both I think.  But regardless of which it is, the result is inspirational and fun.

Jean, today, was wearing an entrelac vest she knit  with her own hand spun. 

 

Such talent.  It brightens my day just to be in the room with her.

Ingrid  -of course! -  is knitting a skirt.

 That little piece of Koigu fabric in her hands is the start of another skirt.  "A girl can never have too many skirts" she said.   "Or shoes", I'd say.   The scarf she is wearing is a lovely little mohair piece with diagonal ends that Ingrid fastened off with one glorious bead.  I will definitely copy that idea, Ingrid.

Nicki, we decided should have been a teacher.

  

She has a gentle patient manner when explaining a new technique as she is doing here.  Ruth wanted to learn the long-tail cast on.

Carol is back from the first half of her Florida winter, wearing a gorgeous, fuzzy, pink cowl. 

 

Must be for her Canadian Christmas not her Florida winter.   The colour suits you well, Carol.

Outside, the sky was overcast and the sun didn't shine.  But at knit group, there is no such thing as a dull day.
 

Thursdays Are For Knit Group

While it wasn't dinner out and knit night at Riverside Yarns like last Thursday, knit group today was still fun.

 I brought Vignette along and  seems it was a hit.  It fits and looks good on Bonnie, worn over white.  

It fits and looks good on Sharon, worn over maroon. 

 

See Jean sitting behind Sharon?  See her knitting?  She is yarn bombing. We all get requests for knitted items, but Jean's neighbour's request was specific.  He asked for  knitted covers for his tree stumps.  

 She seems happy to oblige.

And Ruth, wearing the latest trend in scarves - hers with sparkles and knit for her by her sister - finished the baby jacket that has been on her needles for a few weeks.

 Last I saw it, she had the teeniest ball of yarn remaining with  yet one sleeve left to knit.  Never did I think that she would get one complete  sleeve from the itsy ball of yarn she showed me last week.  But she did.

Now she is on to a sweater for a little boy.  Knit in 2 pieces, front and back identical in a  T shape,  it is, Ruth says, an easy knit.

Ingrid hidden by her knitting - oh we have all done that, Ingrid -  is well on her way to completing her latest skirt.  This one in Americo Cotton Flamme. 

 

You've got time Ingrid.  It won't be cotton wearing weather for a few months now.

Wilma is almost finished her cowl.  Knit with Cabin Fever's Fingering Weight yarn laced with Sterling silver, we decided it is a 'dressy' cowl.  Being Lilac in colour, Ingrid has already hinted that it would suit her.

Thursdays have been big nights in my life lately and it is now  way past  my PJs and knitting time as I write this post. Time to end the day with needles in my hands.

Thursdays Are For Knit Group, Dinner, Knit Group #2 and Knit Night

Yesterday was not our normal Thursday Knit Group.  Following our regular get together, we set  off for Owen Sound to meet up with some of the Southampton Knitters for an evening that began with dinner at the Harison Park Inn, followed by  Knit Night at Riverside Yarns.  Such fun.

 First dinner,

 

 

then knitting.  23 knitters, I counted, 

 

in Colleen's lovely downtown store.  There was lots of show and tell.

 

A square baby blanket started with Emily Ocker's circular cast on  - 

 

 A red sweater knit with Philosophers wool  - 

 

Socks  -  

 

A new knitter with her first cowl  -  

 

 

Sharon grabbed the fish hat.  Tanya - we were thinking of you -

 

 

 Gina with her lovely Zauberball shawl

 

 

This young knitter below took up   the needles for the  first time ever   in the summer of 2012.  She is facing major surgery and knew she would need a soothing, quiet activity to occupy her time during her recovery.    Already she is on to sweaters.  Well done, newbie.

 

 

The evening went swimmingly until someone -  would that be Elena???  caught me on film, purchasing yarn. 

 Busted!    

A great knitterly time was had by all.  Thanks, Southampton for joining us.  As Gina was about to leave she came to me and said " This was a great idea, Brenda."  You should know, Gina.  You had the inspiration way back at Knit In Public Day.  So thanks.  We'll do it again.  Next time they say they want a Wool & Wine Tour.  Local yarn stores and local wineries.  Who is it again that thinks knititng is a quiet, maybe even boring activity?

Thursdays Are For knit Group

I start today with  a shout-out to our  Florida-bound knitters.  We missed you Sandy and Carol but did our best to carry on knitting without you  :-)


Doreen arrived looking very chipper, don't you think?  

 

You sure know how to wear a hat, Doreen.


 And it is nice to see that  you finished your vest.

Wilma is knitting boot toppers for her Grand daughters. 

 

Dark colours please, their Mom specified.  These should hide the mud and splatters well, Wilma.

Sharon's family is expecting a new niece or nephew and she is knitting this lovely sweater for the new baby with Timothy Street superwash wool.

 

I like that sleeve-to-sleeve construction, Sharon.  Somewhat Elizabeth Zimmermann's Tomten-esque with  it's all-in-one-piece method.

Ruth, it is good to see that you might finally be finished that baby sweater that has been occupying your knitting time for several weeks now.   You look surprised at that yourself.

 

This is sleeve number one.  One more to go.

Lots of fun and laughter again today. Bet you Florida-bound knitters missed us.